Gen.G Esports dropped the first map before storming to a 3-1 win over G2 Esports as the bracket stage of the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational got underway on Tuesday in Vancouver.

The $2 million event began with two teams from each League of Legends region: China, Korea, Pacific, the Americas and Europe-Middle East-Africa.

Gen.G Esports, T1, Anyone’s Legend, CTBC Flying Oyster, FlyQuest and KOI were seeded directly into the bracket stage. The other four teams — Bilibili Gaming, FURIA, G2 Esports and GAM Esports — battled in the play-in stage for the final two bracket-stage berths that went to Bilibili and G2.

All matches in the play-in and the double-elimination bracket stage are best-of-five. The winner of the grand final next Saturday, July 12, will earn $500,000 and a spot in the $5 million League of Legends World Championship, to be played this fall in China.

On Tuesday, G2 opened with a 32-minute win on red. Gen.G responded with a 32-minute victory on blue, a 27-minute triumph on red and a 31-minute win on blue.

South Korea’s Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk recorded a 26/8/17 kill-death-assist ratio for Gen.G Esports. Germany’s Sergen “BrokenBlade” Celik finished at 12/9/22 for G2 Esports.

Next up for Gen.G will be a matchup against the winner of Wednesday’s contest between Anyone’s Legend and FlyQuest.

The final two opening-round matches are scheduled Thursday, with CTBC Flying Oyster set to oppose T1 and KOI ready to face Bilibili Gaming.

League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational prize pool:

1. $500,000, berth in League of Legends World Championship

2. $300,000

3. $240,000

4. $200,000

5-6. $160,000

7-8. $130,000

9. $100,000

10. $80,000

–Field Level Media